‘Rent a Hasselblad’ is a global online service and allows you to book Hasselblad cameras and lenses for a selected period of time, making it an interesting option for special photoshoots, when shooting while traveling, or for those who'd simply like to try the Hasselblad system without spending tens of thousands of dollars.

“Owning a Hasselblad medium format camera system is a significant investment even for a successful high-paid photographer,” said Bronius Rudnickas, Hasselblad Marketing Manager. “Consequently, many professional photographers and enthusiasts haven’t had the opportunity to see what they’re able to create with Hasselblad’s medium format technology."

"The ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ program is designed to change that," he continues, "and we’re looking forward to seeing what photographers are able to produce having easier access to our photographic tools."

At launch, photographers can book the mirrorless medium format Hasselblad X1D-50c and a range of XCD lenses at around 40 pick-up locations across the globe. However, Hasselblad is planning to increase both equipment selection and locations in the future. In the US, renting a X1D-50c for the day will cost you $110—lenses start around the $30 mark—with the possibility of putting the rental cost towards a purchase if you decide to buy the equipment after renting it.

Hasselblad Launches 'Rent a Hasselblad' – A new way to experience and take advantage of Hasselblad Medium Format Technology

‘Rent a Hasselblad’ enables easier and on-demand access to Hasselblad medium format cameras and lenses for photography enthusiasts and professionals.

Hasselblad, the leading manufacturer of medium format cameras and lenses, is introducing the ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ service. The service has been created to allow photography enthusiasts and professionals to benefit from the advantages of medium format technology.

“Owning a Hasselblad medium format camera system is a significant investment even for a successful high-paid photographer,” said Bronius Rudnickas, Hasselblad Marketing Manager. “Consequently, many professional photographers and enthusiasts haven’t had the opportunity to see what they’re able to create with Hasselblad’s medium format technology. The ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ program is designed to change that and we’re looking forward to seeing what photographers are able to produce having easier access to our photographic tools.”

‘Rent a Hasselblad’ is a global online service to book Hasselblad cameras and lenses for a selected period of time based on a photographer’s need to use the camera. Whether renting a Hasselblad system for a specific photoshoot, booking a camera to try it out before making up their mind to purchase, or reserving gear to pick up and use at their next travel destination, the rental service will give photographers more freedom and higher accessibility to Hasselblad systems.

At its launch, customers can book the world’s first mirrorless medium format camera, the X1D-50c, and choose from a selection of XCD lenses at around 40 rental pick-up locations across the globe. Plans are already underway to grow the ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ service by increasing both the number of rental locations and expanding the selection of Hasselblad camera models at certain locations.

Furthermore, as a convenient online service with global coverage and reasonable rental fees, ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ offers photographers the possibility to offset rental cost against the purchase price if they then decide to make an investment in the Hasselblad camera system afterwards.

Comments

Now it will be easy for people to see the few advantages (if any!) and many, many disadvantages of medium format compared to the ubiquitous, widely available, and far better value proposition of Full Frame.

I think the rental program is a great idea. However if your target audience is new users, Hasselblad Marketing should recognize that a 'Login wall' that hides basic location, product & pricing information is a huge deterrent for many. I'm thinking there was a business initiative to gather leads and that influenced the website workflow.

$110 for the day and $30/day for each lens? Too Expensive? You can't be serious.. The word "expensive" is relative, and for MF neither the rental nor the purchase price for the X1D *with 45mm lens* (under $14k) is "expensive".

I tried one the other day. Slow, very long start delay, visor not comparable to a MF with mirror, and a too electronic tact, manual focus not comparable to real manual lenses. The output is weird: nice definition but unreal colors, red and greens too vibrant. Its design is nice though. Toyish medium sized camera.

This is the worst possible news for Canon and Nikon: now that photographers can easily and cheaply experience for themselves how much better medium format pictures look, they'll never be happy again with the comparatively inferior photos from their small-sensor cameras. I predict lots of hair-tearing and lonely nights wondering ’why has my life suddenly lost its meaning?’

The only winners here are Pentax photographers who have the luxury of choosing either pixel shift or moving up to the relatively inexpensive 645.

Sony people? Yes, they have their little pixel shift trick too, but not the magnificent Takumars to back them up. In comparison to medium format, Sony images will look just as threadbare and sad as the ones from Nikon and Canon cameras.

Agreed MrBrightside - That is the reason I bought the 645Z. The rendering of lenses is something unmatched when I compared to my D800. Beautiful tonality. The D800...as would the D810 and D850 just look a bit tired in comparison. I sold the Pentax when I retired from the photogrphy biz and concentrated more on personal work, street, etc, that is majority film based. The huge viewfinder in MF makes the DSLRs from the majors look like a porthole.

Terrible website. Zero info prior to registration, I wonder how much paperwork it has to be involved to actually rent one. I guess an AMEX open voucher for $10,000 usd just in case the thing got stolen will be in order.

Is this an answer to my question? Yes I did. No price mentioned. No I do not want to register and login (because obviously you did not read the disclaimer to my question).Now please if anyone can post something about the pricing...

“In the US, renting a X1D-50c for the day will cost you $110—lenses start around the $30 mark—with the possibility of putting the rental cost towards a purchase if you decide to buy the equipment after renting it.”

Thanks! That is quite expensive. Especially for something that is also like a promotion. I mean a 1300D kit lens is worth two days of renting the Hasselblad. ...and a car can be had for much less for the day.

It’s nothing if you expect to make money from the shoot. If you’re working on commission, you just roll the rental fees into your pricing. I imagine that’s where this will see the most use, overall. Amateurs taking a Hassie out to play for a day just for fun will probably be comparatively rare, although there are plenty of folks in the world who wouldn’t flinch at dropping an occasional $150 to try something like this, if photography is their passion.

And I don’t see this as purely a promotion; I’m sure Hasselblad hopes for this service to make money, or at least not cost them any. Setting up a rental service for their isn’t cheap, and the equipment is genuinely expensive even at cost. I imagine they priced this as low as they could while still keeping the venture self-sustaining; this is certainly a good way to promote their cameras, but it’s also a way to get some money from folks who would never ever actually buy one.

Lens Rentals 7 Day Rental Fee Hasselblad X1D Body $482.0030mm f/3.5 $219.0090mm f/3.2 $152.00From the 5th Paragraph of the DPR info above: In the US, renting a X1D-50c for the day will cost you $110—lenses start around the $30 mark—with the possibility of putting the rental cost towards a purchase if you decide to buy the equipment after renting it.

Excellent idea. At those prices, lots of people will have the opportunity to try out a medium format camera. Some of them will presumably go on to actually buy one. And for those of us who would never in a million years be able to justify the expense of buying something like the X1D-50c, we can have a chance to play with one and see what we’re missing! Also there are probably plenty of pros out here who don’t have enough need for medium format to make one worth purchasing, but who might very well find value in renting one occasionally.

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